USD 418 among Kan. schools to receive grant for better kids’ health

Friday

Dec 28, 2012 at 1:04 PMDec 28, 2012 at 1:05 PM

Jessica Hoffman, school nurse at McPherson High School, recently received a $1,000 grant to improve the health of students. She is one among nurses administrators in 55 Kansas counties sharing $148,798.73.

Special to The Sentinel

Jessica Hoffman, school nurse at McPherson High School, recently received a $1,000 grant to improve the health of students. She is one among nurses administrators in 55 Kansas counties sharing $148,798.73.

These grants will allow schools to deliver at-school programs aimed at improving the health of Kansas children through Healthy Habits for Life grants from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Foundation. The foundation distributed the funds in mid-December to 159 schools, allowing school personnel to deliver programs in 2013 that will help students reduce their cardiovascular risk, increase their physical activity or learn healthy eating habits.

Each year, grantees use the funds on a variety of programs, such as purchasing nutrition curriculum, exercise equipment or healthy snacks, or organizing walking programs and family health fairs. Since the grant program’s inception in 2006, the foundation has distributed 600 Healthy Habits for Life grants in excess of $573,000.